This week, Color announced a new addition to its cancer screening and early detection program: the FDA-cleared HPV self-collection kit from BD Waters to test for cervical cancer risk. 

Why this test, and why cervical cancer?

The test can be done at home in under a minute, doesn’t require a pelvic exam, and is just as accurate as clinical collection options. It also aligns with American Cancer Society and other screening body guidelines. And cervical cancer happens to be one of the most preventable cancers we know of. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection responsible for over 90% of cervical cancer cases. We have effective vaccines, reliable screening tests and clear clinical guidelines to intervene before a cancer shows up. Yet one in four eligible women are not up to date with cervical cancer screening, and 60% of cervical cancers occur in people who haven't been screened in the last five years, or ever.

Color’s approach

Early cancer detection is a core pillar of Color’s Virtual Cancer Clinic, which spans the entire cancer care spectrum from screening and active treatment, all the way through survivorship care. Early stage cancer means up to 99% chances of survival, and 3-5x lower cost of care. In many cases, it can also mean intervening in a pre-cancer stage, long before any cancer is diagnosed in a patient.

The new cervical cancer test joins Color's broader suite of at-home screening and early detection services that make access to early cancer detection easy and convenient for patients. Through its ASCO-Certified Virtual Cancer Clinic, Color Early Detection program provides:

• At-home tests for the most common guideline-recommended cancer screenings, processed at Color’s in-house CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified lab

• A high-quality, lower-cost nationwide imaging screening network

• Cancer risk identification and clinical management

• Genetic risk testing for hereditary cancer risk

• High touch clinical management of patients with abnormal results
  

All of it delivered through Color Medical's oncologist-led, 50-state medical group, with clinical accountability built in at every step.

For individuals who face barriers to traditional pelvic exams due to discomfort, scheduling, or transportation, this new, private, at-home collection option meaningfully expands access for those who need to get screened.

Why this matters for Health Plan and employer populations

Cervical cancer is not a unique phenomenon when it comes to a lack of screening adherence and follow up. An estimated 69% of U.S. adults are behind on at least one routine cancer screening, according to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and a national survey by the American Cancer Society (ACS CAN) found that 31% of adults are more than a full year overdue for their guideline-recommended screenings.

For employers and health plans, these gaps represent both a human cost and a financial one. Undetected cancer means later-stage diagnoses, more complex treatment, worse outcomes, and significantly higher costs of care. Closing that gap requires more than just making a test available. It requires a program that removes the behavioral, psychological and logistical barriers that prevent people from getting their screenings done.

Color allows employers and health plans to offer members a more effective approach to cancer screening and early detection, and an approach that will deliver results within the first 3-6 months from implementing the program. That means:

• Clinical ordering and follow-up on every test. Color Medical's oncologist-led clinical team orders every screening test based on the patient’s risk and recommended guidelines, and follows up on every result. There's no gap between "test administered" and "result acted on."

• 100% clinical follow-up on every abnormal result. This isn't aspirational. Color has demonstrated 100% clinical follow-up for every abnormal screening result across its program. When something is flagged, a clinician follows up. Every time. No patient is left behind.

• Faster time to diagnosis. For patients with abnormal results, Color has reduced the time it takes to get to a cancer diagnosis by 66% compared to traditional network models. Earlier diagnosis means more treatment options, faster interventions, better outcomes, and lower costs. We track this and hold ourselves accountable to it.

• Proven screening gap closure. Color's program has demonstrated a 77% increase in screening adherence across its populations. Color populations are getting screened, and staying up to date on their screenings.

• Reduced costs of care delivery. Color's integrated model reduces costs of care delivery relative to traditional network approaches. Investing in rigorous screening processes pays off. We guarantee that the program will save more than it will cost from the first year it launches.
  

The at-home HPV kit fits directly into this model. It's not a standalone product, nor a part of a collection of disconnected point solutions. It's one component of a coordinated clinical program in which Color's team manages the full arc of the patient’s care from cancer risk assessment, to test ordering and processing in our in-house lab, through clinical follow-up and cancer diagnosis.

We’re excited about making this testing modality available for our patients and customers as we continue to expand the impact of our Virtual Cancer Clinic. Finally, great cancer care is as critical as catching cancer early. We’ll also be sharing soon additional improvements we’re launching for our Active Cancer Treatment services, another key pillar of our Virtual Cancer Clinic. Stay tuned!